


Linked By Destiny

by BridgeGoblin



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Eventual Smut, Family, Geralt and Jaskier being good gay dads to Ciri, M/M, Porn With Plot, Post Ep. 8, Slight Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:41:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22207306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BridgeGoblin/pseuds/BridgeGoblin
Summary: “Jaskier, are you alright?”“Define alright for me Geralt? Because I’m unsure how I can be alright after being kidnapped and tortured by a gang of Nilfgaardians trying to figure out where you are for some god forsaken reason when I haven’t seen you in months-”“Alright as in any serious injuries.”“Oh. My face hurts. Is my nose broken? That could be a problem for me in my business after all.”Geralt gives his face a once over, his nose was bleeding but it wasn’t out of place or broken. They lock eyes for a moment and that feeling when he spotted Ciri in the woods for the first time washes over him. A serene peace. A moment where he feels where he’s meant to be.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 16
Kudos: 335





	1. Chapter 1

“Who is Jaskier?” 

The moment of serenity in the woods as he hugged the small girl, his daughter of surprise, is broken by such an innocent question.

Geralt ends their embrace and looks down at her somewhat taken aback, she’s looking up at him with big blue eyes filled with childish curiosity. 

“How did you hear that name?” Geralt asks, finally processing the question she had asked.

“I heard you calling them. In my sleep last night. That’s when I got up to go find you. Who are they?” 

“He’s uhh…” He struggles to find the right words to describe the bard. He wished he could say friend, but that word always seemed to catch in his throat. Especially now, after he treated the man so badly. “He’s a musician.”

Ciri giggles, “Why were you calling out for a musician?” she was right to find it funny, nobody just shouts the name of a random lute player in their sleep. Unless they were pining for them. Which, Geralt was obviously not. He just shouldn’t have taken his anger out on the man, that’s all it is.

“I just… We’ll talk about it later. Let’s get out of these woods…”

* * *

With a brief thank you to the family who had rescued and brought the two together, the two were off on their journey. Ciri sat comfortably in front of him atop Roach as the chestnut horse marched them down the road. 

Ciri was starving for information. Why were they drawn together? Why was he her destiny? How did he become a Witcher?

Geralt would give one word answers or shrug if he didn’t actually have much of one, which only drove the young girl to ask more. 

“How did you know my Grandmother?” 

“Well…” He trails off before he could answer her. He thought he could hear distant shouting. He lightly tugs on Roach’s reins to pull the mare to a standing halt. He waits and listens, his heightened senses straining themselves to hear it again.

“Well what?” Ciri prods, and Geralt lightly hushes her. She pouts slightly but watches him intently. 

Then he hears it, a cry of pain and then laughter. Someone is being attacked, by other humans. His instinct is to leave it alone, to keep a low profile, but then he catches the all too familiar sound of a lute being broken.

“Jaskier.” He says softly as he dismounts Roach.

“The musician?” Ciri asks excitedly. She’s about to slide off the saddle too when he holds up a hand.

“Stay here with Roach, I’ll be right back.” She pouts again, not thrilled about being left behind.

He leaves the main path through the woods, trying to be both quick and quiet. He has a hand on his steel sword as the voices grow louder and more distinct. 

“I  _ told  _ you I don’t know where he is! The white wolf is a lone wolf-” 

“I don’t want to hear your  _ lies _ bard. This is your last chance before you end up in worse shape than your lute. Where. Is. Geralt of Rivia?”

Geralt can see them now. A small camp of Nilfgaardian soldiers, three of them, surround Jaskier. The Bard has a bloody nose and a lip that’s already swollen. His clothes are dirty and his hands are bound. His precious lute is in shambles beside him, the one gifted to him on their first venture together, and for some reason that makes Geralt all the more angry at the scene in front of him.

Jaskier doesn’t answer and the soldier places a foot on his head and grinds him into the dirt. “Taste that bard, that’s where you’ll end up if you don’t give us what we want!”

“Hey.” Geralt steps into view of the campsite, catching the attention of the three guards who draw their swords. “If you want me, I’m here.”

“Take him alive, we need him to find the girl!” The one standing on Jaskier orders, and the other two charge.

Geralt deals with them quickly. He parries a hit from the first before driving a sword through his neck, then tosses the limp body at his companion to throw him off balance before dealing with him similarly.

He turns to their leader who has lifted Jaskier up and holds a sword to his throat. “Come with me, without incident, or your bard dies.”

Geralt freezes, for what feels like an eternity, before suddenly Jaskier begins to crack up laughing. “You’re probably the biggest idiot on the continent, if you believe a Witcher cares about anyone but themselves, let alone a bard who has done  _ nothing  _ for him but bring him misfortune! An absolute fool you are Nilfgaardian. Isn’t that right, White Wolf?” Each word stings more than any dagger to the back he’s received previously. As if each word was dripping with real poison. He wonders how much of it Jaskier believes? All of it presumably, especially after how they left things last time...

Geralt looks from Jaskier to the soldier. “Leave the bard, and you can leave here with your life. Otherwise you die.”

The guard hesitates, weighing his chances that the bard was telling the truth. Geralt raises his sword, praying to any god that would listen that the soldier won’t call the bluff.

He doesn’t. The man lowers the sword and lets Jaskier fall to the ground and turns tail and runs. Geralt watches him go before moving towards the bard relief washing over him.

“Jaskier, are you alright?” Geralt asks undoing his restraints.

“Define alright for me Geralt? Because I’m unsure how I can be alright after being kidnapped and tortured by a gang of Nilfgaardians trying to figure out where you are for some god forsaken reason when I haven’t seen you in months-”

“Alright as in any serious injuries.” 

“Oh. My face hurts. Is my nose broken? That could be a problem for me in my business after all.”

Geralt gives his face a once over, his nose was bleeding but it wasn’t out of place or broken. They lock eyes for a moment and that feeling when he spotted Ciri in the woods for the first time washes over him. A serene peace. A moment where he feels where he’s meant to be. 

Jaskier clears his throat and stands up. “Well, thank you for rescuing me again. Just like old times.”

“Yeah.” Geralt stands up as well. He pauses before gathering his words. “Listen Jas-”

“Hey Geralt why is there a little girl hiding in that bush over there.” Geralt turns around and sees a head of platinum hair duck down.

“Cirilla I told you to stay with Roach!” Geralt growls his hand pinching his brow. This child was already a handful and he’s had her for less than a day.

“Is that…?”

“My child of surprise? Yes. Ciri, come here.” She sheepishly pokes her head out of the bush and approaches the two men. 

Jaskier gives a little chuckle. “Today is full of surprises.”

“Jaskier, this is Ciri. Ciri-”

“He’s the musician!” Ciri says, looking quite proud of herself.

Jaskier raises an eyebrow to Geralt. “You’ve spoken of me? Fondly I hope?”

Geralt stumbles, trying to figure out how to answer him, but Ciri being the bundle of curiosity she is, saves him with another question. “How do you know Geralt? Can you play some songs for me?”

“Well unfortunately, my lute has been utterly destroyed by those ruffians. But, I think I can still manage to oblige both of those requests.” Jaskier has a sly grin on his face, as he begins to sing  _ Toss A Coin To Your Witcher  _ as they walk back to Roach, Geralt occasionally interjecting with corrections to the tall tale. Ciri listens intently, eating up every word, and by the end sings the chorus with Jaskier. 


	2. Chapter 2

Jaskier can’t sleep that night. They had managed to find an inn before nightfall, but only had enough coin for one room. They gave the bed to Ciri naturally, and the men had settled into bedrolls on the floor. 

It had been hours since they had lied down next to each other somewhat awkwardly. Back to back. And Jaskier couldn’t sleep. He was uncomfortably aware of the witcher beside him. His heat. His breathing.

He wonders why Geralt was keeping him around. It obviously wasn't for his company, he made it clear last time how he felt about him. He wonders how long it'll take for the witcher to discard him this time.

“Jaskier.” Geralt whispers to break the silence. Jaskier jumps at his voice. Even when whispering he sounds like he's growling. “I know you’re awake.”

“Well. I know you’re awake as well.” Jaskier whispers back.

“What gave it away?”

“You stating my name all of a sudden was a pretty good indicator.”

“Hmm.” Whenever Geralt hums it drives Jaskier mad. Was he annoyed? Amused? He can't tell with Geralt. It was definitely sexy, but when he can't see his face he is even  _ harder  _ to read than before.

“Why are you awake?”

“Can’t sleep.” Jaskier wishes Geralt could see him roll his eyes at that response.

“That is very obvious. I thought after that Jinny Jinn business you could sleep well again?”

"Hmm." That damn hum again. They're both silent for a brief moment. Jaskier wondering if that's where the conversation will end, if they'll just go back to pretending to be asleep again and- “I’m sorry Jaskier.”

That certainly wasn't what Jaskier was expecting. “For what, exactly?" Geralt doesn't respond right away. Ah, there it is. The moment he had been waiting for the whole night. Being pushed away again. “Oh. For saving me. Yeah I figured you’d be regretting seeing me again and-”

“No that’s not it-”

“I’m just insufferable and I’m ruining your sleep, I get it you don’t have to say it, let me just be on my way then” Jaskier sits up and starts to get out of the bed roll. He shouldn't have come with the witcher in the first place, save himself the trouble of-

“Jaskier!” Jaskier feels a strong hand on his arm yank him back down into the bedroll. They’re facing each other now. “I’m sorry for what I said. On the mountain.” 

Jaskier blinks. “Are you actually apologizing right now or are you having a go at me?” He searches Geralt's face, looking for any sign of a lie. Geralt's golden eyes meet his own blue ones and they hold for a moment.

“I was upset. And took it out on you. None of my problems are your fault. And now you’re getting attacked by Nilfgaardians for it.” Geralt breaks the eye contact first. His brow furrowed now.

“That’s not your fault either.” 

“It is-”

“No no no. I knew what being friends with a witcher entailed. I knew what I’d be getting into the day I sat across from you at that bar.” Jaskier tentatively takes a hand to rub the witcher's shoulder, fully expecting the man to shrug him off his attempt at being comforting. But he doesn't and they lock eyes again. “I am fine with getting nearly killed by a Jinn if it means I get to tag along with you.”

“You’re fine with nearly getting killed so you can write a song about it?” Geralt raises an eyebrow.

“No! Well, maybe. I’m fine with nearly getting killed because I  _ want  _ to be around you, you oaf.”

“I think the songs were a better reason to nearly get killed every day personally.” 

“Why is it so hard for you to just accept people like  _ you, _ and want to be around  _ you.”  _ Jaskier asks, and he was suddenly aware of how fast his heart was beating and how they were suddenly so close, their noses only inches apart. “Not the Witcher, not the White Wolf. Geralt. I'm here, for Geralt. Songs are good fun but I wouldn't stick around you if that was the only thing worth being around for."

"Hmm." That response only serves to make Jaskier's face burn a bright red. That damn hum. Combined with Geralt's handsome rugged face staring right at him, so close, with the slightest smile tugging at his lips. Just that sight  _ did  _ things to him he wasn't ready to admit.

He flips himself over in a panic so that his back faces Geralt. "Well that conversation was exhausting. A bard needs his beauty sleep." He feels Geralt flip over onto his side as well. "Good night Geralt."

"Hmm." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chap has some gamey-ish elements that aren't really in the show YET so for show only people, witchers in the games can do like magic hand sign thingies that can do things from jedi mind tricks to lighting candles and stuff.

Geralt awakens to the feeling of something soft and warm against his chest. It was… pleasant to say the least… but he doesn't remember that feeling when he had fallen asleep. His eyes flick open and he realizes what it was. Or rather who. Geralt remembers distinctly facing away from Jaskier before falling asleep, but sometime in the night Geralt had rolled over and spooned him. Geralt's arm was lightly holding Jaskier by the waist, and Jaskier's head was tucked under Geralt's chin. His hair was soft and smelled of lavender. It was… nice. Comfortable. Like the bard was made to fit snugly in his arms...

He could feel his heart racing all of a sudden. But… why? Why does being around Jaskier always make him feel like this? 

One part of his brain was screaming to get up and leave and don't come back. The bard is making you soft, making you weak. A soft witcher is a dead witcher. Leave him and the girl and go back to your life of solitude. 

But then he thinks about how bitter Jaskier was when they first saw each other again in the woods. How much it hurt  _ him  _ to see Jaskier hurt. Leaving the bard again, especially after what he had said last night, would surely upset him. The thought of Jaskier hurt because of something  _ he  _ did made his blood boil. But why did it do that? He's just a bard. Why does he care?

Geralt went from waking up comfortably warm to having a splitting headache all over the course of 5 minutes. It felt like he was at war with himself. He needed to do something to clear his thoughts. Something with his hands. He needed to hunt. And getting some extra coin wouldn't hurt either…

* * *

"Jaskier!"

Jaskier was shaken awake. He opens his eyes and sees Ciri standing over his bedroll rattling his shoulders. 

"Jaskier! Geralt is gone!" The girl's blue eyes were wide with panic. 

Jaskier stands up. Geralt was indeed gone. As was his armor and some of his equipment. "Ah. So he is." Was he really running away and leaving him with his child of surprise? Geralt wouldn't do something so heinous… would he?

"We have to go find him!" Ciri is tugging her boots on and pulling her cloak around her shoulders when Jaskier spots a piece of parchment left on the nightstand.

"Hold on. This is new." Jaskier says as he picks up the parchment. It's a note.

_ Needed more coin _

_ Gone hunting _

_ Stay put and watch Ciri _

_ -Geralt _

Typical. Of course he would leave and have all the monster hunting fun for himself. Jaskier should be more annoyed but he feels some relief wash over him. "He went looking for a contract. He'll be back later."

Ciri looks at him like he's an idiot. "I already read the note Jaskier. That's why we gotta go!"

"Wait you knew that part?? I thought by gone you meant  _ gone  _ gone!"

"If he's hunting monsters he can get hurt! We gotta go help him! Put your shoes on already come on!" 

She reminds him very clearly of the Lioness of Cintra. Her commanding tone and stern eyes. There was no arguing with this princess. 

Jaskier dresses quickly and follows her out the door. Geralt is going to skin him alive.

They ask the innkeeper on their way out the door where the witcher has gone. Thankfully they're helpful. A nearby farm was having issues with their sheep being killed in the night by something and offered good coin for Geralt to investigate.

So the two headed off in that direction. Weaponless and clueless on what they could be facing. "So. How are we planning on… 'helping' Geralt with his hunt." Jaskier asks as they march along the road. 

Her reply is to take out a tiny dagger. "Silver for monsters." Not as weaponless as he thought, but still not ideal. 

"You know Geralt has never  _ not _ come back from a hunt." Jaskier says trying to not sound patronizing. "Often I'm more help to him back at the tavern than at his side."

"I had a dream that he needed us." Ciri says without missing a beat.

Jaskier feels like an even bigger fool now. He's following a child around based on a  _ bad dream  _ she had. "Princess Cirilla, I can say from experience acting on dreams is a very  _ very  _ bad idea. We should head back to-"

"The last dream I had lead me to Geralt."

Jaskier scoffs. "Coincidences happen sometimes. There's a word for that it's deja vu-"

"In it he was calling out your name. Before I even met Geralt I knew  _ your  _ name." Ciri looks him in the eye, and Jaskier realizes she is very serious. 

Jaskier doesn’t know how to process any of the information that he just heard. But he’s going to ignore the bit about the magic psychic dreams and focus on the more important bit. Well, more important to Jaskier. “Geralt was calling for me? Why?”

Ciri shrugs. “Why do we call for anyone?” 

“Because… We’re annoyed at them.” 

“You shout the name of someone you’re annoyed at?”

“Yeah like when you’ve done something to get in trouble. Like what will inevitably happen when we reach Geralt. He’ll go ‘JASKIER?! JASKIER YOU HAD ONE JOB!’” He huffs up his chest and makes his voice raspy to imitate Geralt which causes Ciri to laugh loudly.

“Well that’s not how he sounded in the dream!” 

“You’re right I didn’t get the right amount of gravel and brooding in my voice…”

“No, I mean that he didn’t sound angry!” Ciri manages to sputter out between laughs.

“Well, then that must not be right. Maybe we should head back to the inn and have you take a nap and see if you can hear it again. I can count the times that Geralt wasn’t saying my name in an angry tone on one hand.”

“I remember it clear as day Jaskier! In fact he said it the same way he said it last night when you tried to leave.” She’s looking up at him with a smug expression.

“You were awake?” Jaskier could feel his cheeks begin to turn bright red.

“Him yelling ‘JASKIER’ loudly makes it hard to sleep! Anyway how he said it right then is how he sounded in my dream.”

Jaskier ponders that for a minute. How  _ did  _ Geralt say his name last night? Annoyance? No Ciri is right, it wasn’t like that. It sounded more… Desperate. Lonely. Longingly. No that can’t be it, that doesn’t make sense, Geralt doesn’t  _ get _ lonely. He revels in solitude… But then again... The witcher hasn’t been making sense lately. Going from casting him aside to drawing him in closer. From running from his child of surprise to embracing her. 

He shakes his head, he’s overthinking something that a  _ child  _ heard in a  _ dream.  _ He should just focus on keeping Ciri safe and not getting in the witcher’s way.

* * *

“Fuck!” Geralt swears as he is knocked backwards by a tree branch to the abdomen knocking the wind out of him. A large looming creature made out of tree branches with a deer skull for a face is approaching him. A Leshen. A primeval nature spirit, and this one is particularly aggressive.

Geralt catches his breath and scrambles to his feet, ignoring his protesting broken ribs. He swings at the Leshen with his silver sword. It lets out a haunting cry as it tries to block with its branches only for them to sizzle and burn against the silver. 

It staggers backwards, and Geralt goes to take another step towards it, only to realize his feet are entangled in tree roots that were quickly growing around his legs. 

“Fuck!” He swears again right before the Leshen lands another blow against him, knocking him over and the tree roots beginning to grow around his torso, pinning him to the forest floor. 

He begins to raise his hand to cast a magic sign, but the roots grab his hands too fast and he can’t move them anymore. The Leshen is standing over him, raising a branch to slam down against him again. But before it can it lets out another scream and whips around. On its back a dagger is embedded into the bark and its sizzling from it. The distraction loosens the wooden bonds enough for Geralt to raise his hands to cast a sign. “Ignis!” Fire erupts from his hand, burning the roots and the Leshen, sending it reeling. 

Geralt gets to his feet and plunges the silver sword into its heart. The Leshen crumbles, leaving burnt branches and a deer skull in a pile before him. 

“Geralt!” He looks up and sees Ciri sprinting towards him. As she reaches him for an embrace he sees Jaskier slowly approaching as well.

“You two were supposed to stay at the inn…” Geralt notes, trying to hide the smile creeping up on his face at seeing the two of them here. He should be mad at them for disobeying him… But right now he is just happy to see them.

Jaskier’s brow furrows and he crosses his arms. “Well, if we hadn’t I wouldn’t have been here to throw Ciri’s dagger and  _ you  _ would be fertilizer.” Jaskier replies defensively.

“I’m not mad.”

“Oh. That’s not what I expected.”

“And what did you expect?”

“A gut punch mostly. A scolding at the very least.”

“Hmm.” He realizes how much he missed this now. The banter. Jaskier’s disobedience. His occasional quick thinking. He truly missed the bard. “There is a time to be upset. For now, let’s go collect the coin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been slow about updating anything I write because I got a drawing tablet and been doing art things sorry about that lmao. All of my creative juices have been going into learning how to draw my dnd party. 
> 
> You can follow me on tumblr at lovedeluxerequiem.tumblr.com if you wanna see what shit I'm up to when I ain't writing or if you want to yell at me to update faster (I won't tho it's like watching a pot boil)
> 
> I read every comment and love all of them btw I'm just dumb and never know how to respond, but thank you everyone who is commenting and leaving kudos y'all are great ily


End file.
